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Pelvic Floor Exercises are Worth a Try

You might want to consider making pelvic floor exercises part of your daily routine, if you haven't done so already.

A recent federal report indicates that the exercises -- sometimes called Kegels -- are an effective way to stop urinary incontinence.

Consider that urinary incontinence is quite common, affecting about a quarter of young women and more than half of women in middleage and beyond. It can come and go throughout your life, but it might be more pronounced after childbirth or in the menopausal years.

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The condition has many causes, but two of its better-known forms are stress incontinence and urgency incontinence. Stress incontinence has to do with those little urine leaks after a sneeze or cough or exercise.

Urgency incontinence is an involuntary loss of control that compels an immediate trip to the bathroom. Both types often stem from weak pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, uterus and other organs.

The report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was issued in April 2012 and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

According to the AHRQ press release, pelvic muscle floor training is effective for treating adult women with urinary incontinence without risk of side effects.

"Urinary incontinence can affect women in a variety of ways, including physically, psychologically and socially – and some of these impacts can be severe," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy. "This new report will help women and their clinicians work together to find the best treatment option based on each patient's individual circumstances."

In comparing treatments for urinary incontinence, the researchers for AHRQ analyzed pelvic floor exercises similar to Kegels to see how well they worked in combination with bladder training. Other treatments also were analyzed.

The study concluded:

 The combination of pelvic muscle and bladder training improved the condition in cases of mixed incontinence, involving both stress and urgency incontinence.

 Estrogen was effective in treating stress incontinence, but came with side effects.

When my grandmother first started experiencing stress incontinence, her doctor suggested trying kegel exercises. My grandmother started to use vaginal cones (http://www.nationalincontinence.com/pc/PMSF/KegelExercisers/StepFree+Vag...) and said that they have worked wonders for her incontinence. Of course, this might not work for everyone, but it's still definitely worth a try!

This Comment

Urgency incontinence caused by weakness in strengthening of muscles. The females feel embarrassment from involuntary bladder leakage. For strengthening of muscles the pelvic floor exercises are very helpful. It’s also called Kegel exercise. If you want to know more information about Kegel exercise than follow this eBook and get relief in 14 days. You can visit eBook on www.pelvicfloor.biz.

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My name is Elaine Plummer and I am an R.N and one of the Always women's health experts. The guidance and exercise tips offered in this article will, no doubt, help many women manage their urinary incontinence issues. However, despite one's best efforts, some women will still have leakage. A product I recommend to help manage that is the Always Leakguard with Odor Lock. Along with absorbing fluids fast, the Odor Lock is a a unique technology that continuously absorbs and neutralizes odors. Odor control is important to many women, along with absorbency, when they are dealing with the frustration and embarrassment of incontinence.

As you said in the article, incontinence can impact women in so many negative ways. It is sad to think that some even avoid social activities because of it. Since multifaceted approaches work best, I hope some women consider these pads, along with their exercises and seek professional help to manage their incontinence.

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.